TPPPE 10

Chapter 10 ….

“Although they said it was an accident that happened because I touched a magic-infused sword before I was ready…”

No one had witnessed the situation, so the only thing that could be judged was my broken body.

Even after that, other heirs came in, but all of them had to leave the duchy in a less-than-perfect state.

It became an opportunity to see firsthand the “living underworld” I had only heard about in stories.

The nobles who approached me, hoping for a potential rise in status, were too busy hiding their own children. Only the street orphans remained—but just hearing the name Stuckia would make them burst into tears…

Eventually, the temple and the royal family could no longer pressure anyone to take on an heir.

“Of course, that’s still far in the future.”

For now, though, it was the very moment when pressure had just started, and no one had entered as an heir yet, so the place hadn’t yet gained its notorious reputation.

The duke would need a child to maintain appearances, and now was precisely that timing.

That was why I didn’t sneak in like those thieves, but opened the door myself.

To confront the duke directly.

“Right, you don’t know who your father is, huh…”

The duke muttered slowly, repeating himself.

“And?”

“Huh?”

“Isn’t there another reason?”

He raised his eyebrows, as if asking me to be honest.

“Ah, that…”

I hesitated for a moment.

Honestly, it didn’t have to be Stuckia. In any case, since they abandoned me here, Duke Agnito would announce me as dead or missing.

Still, I wanted to come to Stuckia because it meant freedom.

Being the owner of a heap of trash, he wouldn’t care what I did.

And moreover…

“Your Highness.”

“What’s your name?”

“Right, Hanisha. I know I’m handsome enough to make even a bride on her wedding day lose her mind, but let’s try to keep some composure, shall we?”

Before I returned, the Duke of Stuckia had shown a protective attitude toward me.

I didn’t know why he wanted to protect me, an Agnito.

But whatever the reason, it was true that he tried to protect me.

He was the only adult who called me by name, even though I had shown no special achievements.

That adult seemed like he would accept me being here.

Like he would let me breathe.

“Of course, I can’t say that…”

I could just give another reason.

So I said confidently,

“Because you, the duke…”

“Hmm, I…”

“Are the strongest and most handsome!”

Before I returned, I had seen the duke’s face without the eyepatch myself.

Even in urgent situations, his splendid appearance was striking at first glance.

This was a fact without a trace of falsehood.

Yet something felt off.

The thieves behind the duke were wide-eyed. Even the shadow covering their mouths seemed small in comparison.

Only the cold wind filled the space between us.

Had I made a mistake? I added hastily, sensing their gaze.

“A-and I like the cold, too.”

I appealed with the only skill I had learned in Agnito.

“I also like the dark.”

Among kids my age, there probably weren’t many as used to darkness as I was.

Bright places were nice, but enduring darkness was my specialty.

Still, the duke remained silent.

“I-it doesn’t have to be a daughter. A servant would be fine too…”

“……”

“Or, I could even be the duke’s eyes… Ugh!”

I had been speaking boldly.

But just as I approached the duke, I tripped over a thief who had fallen in front of me.

If this continued, I would fall.

And onto glass-covered snow!

As I closed my eyes tightly at the thought,

“……?”

I felt nothing.

When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was my two feet floating in midair.

The duke had caught me before I fell. More precisely, I was draped across his shin like laundry.

“You’re high-maintenance, huh.”

Before I fell, the duke had grabbed my coat and let out a lazy sigh.

“T-thank you. You’re really kind. I like kind fathers…”

“Hmph, I just didn’t like seeing bodies pile up.”

The duke answered lazily, stretching out his other hand. He meant for me to hold it and stand.

If I took his hand, I’d be cast outside the duke’s mansion.

‘What should I do? I can’t tell him I returned. Should I blow up the secret vault of Duke Agnito?’

While my mind spun, the duke grabbed the nape of my neck.

“Other thoughts…”

“Ah!”

“Would be best to stop them.”

My body floated!

Startled, I reached behind my head and grabbed his wrist. His bare wrist, exposed because the glove was short.

At that moment, the duke froze.

I sneaked a peek.

He was quietly looking down at me—or rather, at the wrist I held.

‘Well, maybe he’s not looking exactly…’

Worried I might have offended him, I quickly let go.

“……It’s been a long time since I’ve done it this way.”

Finally, the duke muttered in a deep, cavernous voice.

But it didn’t sound unpleasant. Rather… it sounded amused.

Before I could even wonder why,

“Not bad.”

“……”

“Eyes… yes. Let’s go with that.”

With a lazy murmur, he extended his hand.

‘This…?’

I blinked stupidly at his gloved hand. He waved it again, like luring prey.

I had to grab it.

I instinctively clasped his hand.

Even so, the duke didn’t move.

“……Not quite?”

“……?”

“Hmm… should I take off the gloves like last time? Don’t want to, though…”

He just muttered nonsense.

Could there be some noble etiquette I didn’t know?

Cautiously, I brought the small creature’s paw (the monster dog) and placed it on his hand as well.

“Ha.”

A small chuckle escaped the duke’s lips.

“Your Highness!”

A voice called from afar. People in knight uniforms and a man with monocle glasses approached.

The duke immediately lifted me into his arms.

‘Ah, he picked me up…?’

While I stared wide-eyed, he faced the approaching figures nonchalantly.

The knights stopped in surprise upon seeing me.

“So… who is this child? You’re not trying to kill her, are you?”

“Kill her? She deserves to be cherished.”

“Cherished…?”

“Who is this child, anyway?”

The duke looked back at me, thinking.

“What was your name again? I heard it but forgot.”

“Oh, I haven’t told you yet…”

“You can’t be a great person if you sweat the small stuff. So, your name?”

He tilted his hand as if urging me to speak.

“Hanisha…”

“Good. Hanisha.”

He repeated my name with a bright smile.

“Let me introduce her. She’s my daughter.”

“…Daughter?”

“Yes. Isn’t she pretty? I wouldn’t know, but if she resembles me, she must be. Even though I’ve never seen her mother, I gave her a nice name.”

The duke answered casually.

“Ah, yes.”

“She’s my daughter. Yes.”

The knights’ expressions turned indifferent.

All of them had the “Here he goes again” look.

It made sense. Jokingly calling the orphans abandoned in Stuckia his own child wasn’t new.

The duke tilted his head slowly and said, “Hmm?”

“Your reaction is too weak. Weren’t you all clamoring for adoption before?”

But the next words froze them.

“…Adoption?”

“Are you seriously going to take her as your daughter?”

“Are there people who adopt children falsely? He can’t be serious.”

“That’s not what I meant…!”

One of the knights shouted, exasperated.

I blinked blankly.

Really?

He’s not just accepting me—he actually intends to adopt me? Just like that?

While I blinked in disbelief, someone approached the duke.

“I knew you’d cause trouble somewhere, but didn’t expect it so suddenly.”

A calm-faced man with monocle glasses.

“Let me guide the young lady inside. Please, young lady.”

When I stepped down from the duke’s arms, the man extended his hand naturally.

It felt so familiar that I unconsciously took it.

“Ah, but Your Grace,”

The man paused and looked back at the duke.

“What should we do about the thieves?”

The duke glanced briefly at them. They shivered despite not meeting his eyes.

“Ah.”

As if remembering something, he said to the man with the monocle,

“Retrieve the stolen items.”

“Understood.”

“And…”

The thieves, thinking that would be all, hesitated.

“Since they touched this side, they’ll take something from here too, right?”

“Shall we do it by sight?”

“That’s perfect. Exactly what I’ve been missing.”